Protective insert

ABSTRACT

A package insert formed of a one piece sheet of paperboard for isolating and protecting a fragile article within an outer package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to packaging and particularly to a paperboardinsert for use within an outer package. The insert is designed toprovide air cells between the walls of the insert and walls of the outerpackage to isolate and cushion a fragile packaged article.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in a protective insert ofthe type described, a structure of simple design and construction whichis formed from a unitary blank of paperboard and which, when folded,provides cushioning air cells between the sides of the insert and theouter package.

This and other objects of the invention will be apparent from anexamination of the following description and drawings.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective packaging insert as seen inthe fully assembled and erected condition;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure erected in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2;and FIG. 4 is a plan view of a blank of foldable sheet material fromwhich the structure illustrated in the other views may be formed.

It will be understood that, for purposes of clarity, certain elementsmay have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they arebelieved to be illustrated to better advantage in other views.

THE DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of theinvention, it will be seen that a protective packaging insert, indicatedgenerally at I in FIG. 1 of the drawings, may be formed from a unitaryblank B of foldable sheet material, such as paperboard, illustrated inFIG. 4.

As best seen in FIG. 1, insert I includes a preferably rectangular,horizontal bottom wall or base 10; a rear wall 12 foldably joined at itslower edge along fold line 13 to the rear edge of bottom wall 10; ahorizontal top wall 14 foldably joined at its rear edge along fold line15 to an upper edge of rear wall 12; a front wall 16 foldably joined atits upper edge along fold line 17 to a forward edge of top wall 14, anda pair of side walls 18 foldably joined at their lower edges along foldlines 19 to opposed side edges of bottom wall 10.

Each of the side walls 18 is provided with a slot 20 extendingdownwardly from the upper edge of side wall and spaced inwardly from theforward edge thereof, which is adapted to cooperate with a mating slot22 formed in the lower edge of front wall 16 and spaced inwardly fromthe end edge thereof to provide interlocking relationship between thefront wall and side walls, It will be noted that the rear portions ofside walls 18 extend rearwardly of rear wall 12 so as to lie inface-to-face relation with rearwardly extending flaps 26 which arefoldably joined along fold lines 27 to opposed side edges of rear wall12. Additionally, side walls 18 are provided with flaps 24 which arefoldably joined at their inner edges along fold lines 25 to the rearedges of side walls 18 and which are folded outwardly at right angles tothe side walls in parallel relation with the front and rear walls 14 and12, respectively.

Thus it will be appreciated that the forward and rear extensions of theside walls, the side wall flaps, and the side extensions of the top andfront walls all project outwardly from the body of the insert to provideair or cushioning cells between the body of the insert and the innerwalls of an outer wrapper or container not shown. These air cells serveto cushion the packaged article which is isolated from the outercontainer within the insert I.

If desired, a finger opening 28 may be provided adjacent the forwardedge of top wall 14.

Thus it will be appreciated that the invention provides a simple butrugged packaging insert of simple design and construction which isformed from a one-piece blank of paperboard with portions connected ininterlocking relationship, without the necessity of outside securingmeans such as glue or staples.

I claim:
 1. A packaging insert, formed from a single unitary blank offoldable paperboard, for holding a packaged article in spaced relationto the walls of an outer container or wrapper, comprising:(a) a bottomwall; (b) a rear wall and opposed side walls foldably joined to andupstanding from rear and side edges of said bottom wall; (c) a top wallfoldably joined at its rear edge to and extending forwardly from anupper edge of said rear wall; (d) a front wall foldably joined to anddepending from a forward edge of said top wall; (e) said front wallhaving interlocking enegagement with said side walls; (f) said rear wallhaving a pair of flaps hinged to the respective side edges thereof andfolded normal to and extending rearwardly from said rear wall; (g) saidtop and front walls including portions projecting outwardly beyond saidside walls, and said side walls including portions projecting outwardlybeyond said front and rear walls to provide with said flaps cushioningcells adjacent said walls of said insert.